News Item: Vladimir Putin addressed the UN this week, seeking a partnership to fight Islamic terrorism in Syria. Russia is bombing ISIS and others, some supported by US allies. Russia supports Assad and has been invited to help. The US wants Assad removed.

It has been a painful experience ...

What has?

Oh, you know ... I think I stayed in hibernation too long ... came out groggy, only to be mauled in my own back yard.

You mean Ukraine?

Well, and now Syria. What did Assad do? He is still willing to have an election with rebel candidates in a peace settlement and has offered to go before the people also as a candidate. But the US wants him removed first. What kind of democracy is that?

How do you feel?

Oh the pain persists. They tried to take away my summer holiday resort.

You mean Crimea ...

And now the sanctions. But a bear has reserves stored. Tell me, do you have democracy in America? I ask because when Hamas was elected in Palestine, the US refused to deal with them calling them terrorists. And they seem happy with the end of it in Egypt.

Well, we have candidates here the people vote for ...

But are they not bought by the power brokers as your Donald Trump has been explaining?

Forget him. Something else has been worrying me. Don't you think Syria has the potential for US-Russia conflict?

We did not send foreign fighters to try to topple a government, or actually topple a democratically elected government by putsch in Ukraine. You sometimes forget what Khrushchev said, although we don't say it any more.